In traditional docking bases for portable devices, such as portable handsets for telephones, molded carriages are formed in the docking bases to cradle the portable handsets, by generally conforming to a shape of at least a portion of the handset. By conforming to the shape of the handset in this manner, the handset may be positioned in the cradle of the docking base in only one orientation, so that contacts on the handset make contact with corresponding contacts on the docking base. The contacts on the docking base are thus always positioned to deliver power to the handset when the handset is docked with the docking base (i.e., with the contacts on the handset in contact with the contacts on the docking base).
Traditionally, such docking bases for portable devices have comprised rubber or elastomeric “feet” that provide friction to prevent the docking bases from shifting about. Such “feet,” however, do not prevent the docking base itself from being inadvertently lifted off a table-top or counter surface on which the docking base rests, especially when the handset does not come clear of its cradle as it is being undocked. In such cases, the handset will tug onto the cradle, resulting in the docking base itself being lifted from the table-top or counter surface. When the handset finally clears its cradle, the docking base may fall to the table-top or counter surface, thus potentially damaging the docking base and/or any other items underneath it when it falls.
To solve this problem, some prior art docking bases have comprised conventional circular suction cups on the bottoms thereof (typically four suction cups, one at each corner of a rectangular or square docking base). Such conventional suction cups, although capable of preventing inadvertent lifting of the docking bases, are difficult to disengage from the table-top or counter surface. Each individual suction cup must be disengaged by lifting an edge thereof (typically by pulling on an elastomeric pull-tab located near one edge of each suction cup). In order to allow for such disengagement of each conventional circular suction cup, the suction cups necessarily must be exposed by some distance to allow for a person's finger and thumb to reach for the elastomeric pull-tab. Accordingly, the docking base necessarily must be raised by said distance above the table-top or counter surface. Because of such limitations in terms of the disengagement of the traditional docking base, the traditional docking base necessarily becomes cumbersome to use and inelegant or unsightly in design.
The embodiments disclosed herein are directed toward overcoming one or more of the problems discussed above.